There are already a lot of gorge guides out there, so why does the world need another?

For one reason, the 288-page book coincides with the 25th anniversary celebration of the gorge's national scenic area designation. And another, if you're like me, is that older books have too many dog-eared pages and broken spines to be user friendly.

Most any avid Portland hiker would be happy to plunk down $18.95, toss the tote-friendly book into a day pack and hit the book's 100 trails.

Besides, Romano's has an expansive view of the gorge, all the way from Paradise Point State Park near Woodland, Wash., to Hat Rock State Park near Umatilla. And everything in between.

Romano jump-starts the book's release with a round of appearances, beginning 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in the Mazamas clubhouse, 527 S.E. 43rd Ave. He also hits the REI stores, Powell's and many others. Look for the schedule at craigromano.com.